​AWAB's Call for 100% Inclusion

As members of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and followers of Jesus Christ, we are deeply disappointed and strongly disapprove of the decision of the Governing Board of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to accept a recommendation from the Illumination Project Committee that enables discrimination with regards to the hiring of LGBTQ Baptists. While the hiring policy has been changed to no longer include language discriminating against LGBTQ people, it is accompanied by an "implementation procedure" which explicitly excludes LGBTQ people from certain positions or as a result of their marital status. We cannot be silent as fellow members of CBF are targeted by LGBTQ discrimination within CBF life. We affirm all LGBTQ people as loved by God and called to serve in all aspects of the Christian church and in CBF life. We believe in 100% inclusion and will not discriminate in calling, equipping, and sending CBF members out into the world to participate in God’s work. We call on CBF churches to continue to serve as advocates and safe places for LGBTQ Baptists who have previously been maligned and marginalized and to open up all avenues of service and leadership within your CBF congregations as we call on CBF to lead by example in a life and stance of being welcoming and affirming of LGBTQ Christians.